Regular order in the United States Congress refers to the semi-strict or strict application of committee and subcommittee processes, including public hearing opportunities and the holding of multiple votes). It is a traditional, committee-centered process of lawmaking that promotes transparency, deliberation, and the wide participation of Members in policy formulation. Regular order is a time-tested system in which a dozen or so appropriations bills are debated and adopted on an individual basis by the House and Senate. The key features of regular order include:

• Committee-centered process: Regular order emphasizes the role of committees in the lawmaking process, including bill introduction and referral to committee, the conduct of committee hearings, markups, and reports on legislation, House and Senate floor consideration of committee-reported measures, and the creation of conference committees to resolve bicameral differences.

• Transparency: Regular order is a lawmaking process that promotes transparency, deliberation, and the wide participation of Members in policy formulation.

• Bipartisanship: Regular order implies not only procedures but also a presumption of at least some degree of bipartisanship.

Regular order is closely associated with bipartisanship and consensus-based forms of decision making). In contrast to following regular order, the normal Congressional structure and procedural approach can be somewhat bypassed by organizing task forces that the leadership runs, attempting to reduce the ability to propose amendments and otherwise shorten the length of time a measure is discussed). Regular order is a lawmaking process that promotes transparency, deliberation, and the wide participation of Members in policy formulation.